


Flowers of a Burgundy Hue

by orphan_account



Series: Frostiron Bingo Round 1 [2]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Feelings Realization, Friends to Lovers, Hanahaki Disease, Happy Ending, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Mutual Pining, explaining hanahaki with science!, fuck buddies, no implied sex in the fic but like. outside the fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-09-23 13:20:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20340754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Tony is a 1 in 10,000 case- he has the same genetic predisposition to Hanahaki Disease that his parents did. Never getting the operation that would stop it from taking his life, he makes the mistake that he really shouldn't have.He falls for Loki.





	Flowers of a Burgundy Hue

**Author's Note:**

> baby's first real angst! kinda! hanahaki disease is not that big for me but i thought i would try my hand at it for the bingo. Square I4- hanahaki disease

It was small at first, nothing to see really. Just a summer cough, at least, that’s what Tony thought it was. It happened sometimes, you know? Allergies.

But… then it wasn't summer anymore. And he was still coughing. It shifted from a dry tickle in his throat to a wet racking of his chest and he finally realized what it was.

Hanahaki. 

He’d always known he had the genetic predilection for it. His mother and father both had their operations early in life to stop the process in its tracks. Neither really knew if they had loved the other, and it showed in their marriage.

Despite the recessive gene for it being entirely present in his system, he had never had the operation that would remove the problem organ as it were. And he had never gotten close enough to someone that was his type to ever worry about unrequited love, but here he was now.

Loki hit all the markers for him. Pretty, tall, whip-smart, and good in bed.

He hadn’t thought them being fuck buddies would lead to this, but here they were.

Tony knew he was in deep shit and he didn’t know what to do.

***

“Tony, are you alright?” Loki asked one day as a wracking cough left tears in Tony’s eyes.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine, just a cold.”

“You’ve been coughing an awful lot lately,” Loki started. “Would it be alright if I check you with my magic?”

“No,” Tony hurried to say. “You don’t have to check on me, really, I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” Real concern was showing on Loki’s face now, something Tony hadn’t ever expected to see. Sure, some idle worry maybe, but not real concern borne of compassion and empathy aimed towards one person.

“I’m sure.”

***

Hanahaki was a sneaky bastard, that was for sure. It crept up on a person and showed its worst signs as soon as someone realized what was happening.

Petals started showing up soon after that afternoon with Loki. He knew he had to do something before it went to full-fledged flowers but— he didn't want to.

Well, he _ did _ want to do something but if it was a choice between never really feeling love again or telling Loki and possibly being rejected followed by death. He didn't know what to do.

Loki started dogging his steps anyway, watching him carefully whenever he started coughing and hacking. Tony was careful to keep the petals away from his watchful gaze, though. Wouldn't do to have him figure out what was going on.

It started to get worse.

He would wake up in the middle of the night from coughing, taking a toll on his already interrupted sleep schedule.

He had to do something, _ soon _ , but _ what?_

***

"You will tell me what's wrong with you, or— or I'll carry you out of this workshop and take you to Banner and have him check you out," Loki threatened, slamming his hands on Tony's desk as he recovered from his worst coughing fit yet.

"You don't need to," Tony muttered.

"Apparently I do because my best friend won't admit he's sick! What are you, six?"

"I already know what it is, so there's no point."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner? We could have gotten you to a doctor or, or, I don't know stopped you from torturing yourself!" Loki splayed his hands out to each side, exasperation clear in every line of his body. "We haven't even fucked in weeks because of how bad it's gotten. Never thought I'd see the day playboy Tony Stark would pass up sex."

"There's nothing you can do about it."

"Try me."

"You really wanna know that badly, Loki? Cause I can guarantee there's nothing you can do and it's all my fucking fault."

"Yes! Just tell me already!"

"I'm in love with you and my fucking genetics got the best of me, alright? It's fucking hanahaki."

"I thought— I thought that was just something made up by your television programs," Loki whispered , taking an unsteady step back from the desk. "And you— you love me?"

"Unfortunately, it's not," Tony said, sighing and burying his face in his hands. "And yeah. Like an idiot, I fell in love with my fuck buddy. Now can you leave so I can die in peace?"

"Tony, did you really think I cared so little for you?"

Tony looked up then, stunned.

"I've loved you from the moment you offered me another chance at a drink. Or at least that's when it started."

Already he could feel the pressure in his chest easing up.

“I just didn’t know how you’d react to me announcing my feelings so I kept them hidden.”

"Now you're the one that sounds like an idiot," Tony said, feeling his eyes grow wet. "Coulda kept all the coughing to a minimum if you'd spilled the beans a lot earlier."

Loki smiled and rolled his eyes, coming around the desk to kneel in front of him. "You could have done the same you know."

"Wouldn't have been as fun," he replied, scrunching up his nose and playing with his hands in front of him. Loki reached forward and gripped them in his own, stopping Tony from picking at his fingernails.

"Wouldn't it have been more fun to consummate a new relationship?"

"You know, I think I could get behind that," Tony said, smiling and disentangling one hand to wipe at his eyes. "But right now I think some cuddling is in order while my lungs clear out the last of the petals."

"And then sex?"

"And then sex."

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed! leave a comment or kudos and i will make sure you dont cough up petals upon falling in love with someone


End file.
